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Fish pass

As part of the construction of Osney Lock Hydro, a fish pass was installed, allowing fish to move freely up-river for the first time in 200 years. 

The use of an Archimedean screw turbine for the hydro means that sediment and fish can move downstream. It cannot provide upstream passage for fish, so an upstream fish pass was built to help fish ascend what would otherwise be an abrupt rise of up to 1.8m. 

The pass is around 27m long and 1.6m wide, and is fitted with 500mm polypropylene brushes to create a cascade of pools which slow down water and help fish to move up the slope.

Migratory species need to be able to access habitats which are only or mainly available in higher parts of the river system, for spawning or other life stages. Other species that have historically not been considered migratory are also now understood to benefit if they can move freely within the river system. This can for example help with population resilience.

The decline in populations of some important species (eels, salmon) means that it is important to maintain or increase access to suitable habitats, even if they have not been accessible for many decades due to the presence of weirs and sluices. Our fish pass allows fish species currently found in the river to move more freely. It also opens up the possibility for trout and even salmon to migrate upstream in the future.

Fish species

Godstow to Osney stretch of the Thames: silver bream, common bream, dace, tench, pike, roach, bleak, chub, perch, carp and barbel with a good range of sizes/age classes especially for the roach perch, chub, pike and bleak. 

The Osney Stream: chub, roach, dace, perch, pike, gudgeon, bleak, silver and common bream, barbel, ruffe sizes ranging from fry to numerous large chub. Bullheads and lamprey eels are also to be found. 

Environment Agency Fisheries 2011 

Human sundial

Our mosaic human sundial celebrates our community’s centuries-old relationship with the river, and the diverse wildlife it supports.

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